<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Homecoming by Mchermitturtle</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23458717">Homecoming</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mchermitturtle/pseuds/Mchermitturtle'>Mchermitturtle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Animal Death, As In I am bad at editing and have to do in and fix things often work in progress, Bittersweet, Body Horror, Child Abuse, Death, Found Family, Gen, Growing up in War, Medical Procedures, Medical Trauma, Recovery, Smoking, Verbal Abuse, WIP</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:22:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23458717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mchermitturtle/pseuds/Mchermitturtle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“The Worst Is Probably Behind You, Nina.” The other person assured. </p><p>Nina felt her heart swell at the sound of her own name, not having heard it in days. She rolled over carefully, looking at the other person. She couldn’t see them very well in the dim light, but she could tell they were sat on the floor, leaning on a stack of cages behind them. </p><p>“Ni-Na.” She repeated happily, and she felt her tail wag a little behind her. “Nina!” </p><p>--- </p><p>When Nina is separated from her father she is sent to the Far West Lab, the resting place for chimera experiments that are better left in obscurity. Still struggling with speaking and her own muddled mind, Nina finds herself taken in by one of the Part Time residents at the Lab.</p><p>But her troubles aren't yet over.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Far West</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There is something terrible about waking up from a bad dream and not knowing where you are. </p><p>Sometimes that happened to Nina, where she would fall asleep and when she woke up in the darkness, she wouldn’t recognise her room for a moment.<br/>
This time, Nina knew for certain she was not at home in bed. She was laying on her side, on what felt like a hard floor. Everything was shaking, it was dark, and she could hardly see in the low light. </p><p>Around her, she could hear so many noises. The little scratching noises and breathing of her father’s experiments around her, of something bigger close, but off to the side, the rumble of an engine, the gruff voice of someone speaking, muffled, like they were in another room.  She tried to cover her ears with her hands and found not only did it take her a long moment to remember where her ears were, but it did little to block out the sounds. </p><p>It also smelt too, much like the little basement room where the experiments were kept. With the added, nasty smell of petrol fumes and stale smoke. She tired to breathe through her mouth, only to find she could taste the smells too. </p><p>Nina let out a whine, kicking her leg out. </p><p>Her foot hit something that was both hard and yet seemed to give a little. It made a loud rattling noise. It hurt. </p><p>But the rattling noise seemed to set off the rest of the chimeras, as they began squealing and screaming and gnashing on the bars of their own cages.<br/>
Nina whined again, curling up tightly. The bigger thing shifted beside her cage. Nina hoped for a moment that it was Alexander; but threading her fingers through her thick fur reminded her it wasn’t.</p><p>It had been at least a few days since she was separated from her father. Nina thought it had been a couple days at least, but her brain still felt muddled. </p><p>At first, she had mostly been in a little room, taken out to be prodded and poked by people in white coats, but one sleep ago she had been shoved into a cage and loaded into a big van. Nina had decided to lay down and sleep while they added more cages, pinning them down with big, thick straps. Her cage was so small she could hardly move, let alone pace around like she had in the little room. </p><p>She heard the thing next to her shift again, and a small, very human, hesitating breath, before someone spoke up. </p><p>“We’re Nearly There.” They said, their voice was a little nasally, and they enunciated every word. “We Left The Main Road About Ten Minuets Ago.” 

When they spoke, it stunned the chimeras nearby into relative silence. They still paced and twitched and chewed at the bars, but they suddenly didn’t seem very interested in drawing attention to themselves by screeching or screaming.</p><p> “The Worst Is Probably Behind You, Nina.” The other person assured. </p><p>Nina felt her heart swell at the sound of her own name, not having heard it in days. She rolled over carefully, looking at the other person. She couldn’t see them very well, in the dim light but she could tell they were sat on the floor, leaning on a stack of cages behind them. </p><p>“Ni-Na.” She repeated happily, and she felt her tail wag a little behind her. “Nina!”<br/>
Words were still hard to come up with, but they were easy to copy. And the feel of her own name on her tongue was a good one. </p><p>“Yes, Nina.” The other person said, with a little chuckle themselves. </p><p>Nina didn’t know their voice, but she quite liked it. The way they spoke seemed very purposeful, like they were trying hard to be understood, and that worked very well for Nina’s muddled brain. Most people she had met hadn't seemed that interested in talking to her at all, let alone giving her time to understand them. </p><p>“Wh-oo?” Nina tried to ask, cocking her head to the side. If she could have fit more than a finger through the bars of her cage, Nina was sure she could have tugged on the person’s clothes. </p><p>“Who?” The other person repeated. </p><p>“Who, No Nina.” Nina tried, before whining and shaking her head. “You?” She asked. </p><p>“Who Am I?” They asked. </p><p>“Yes!” Nina nodded eagerly.<br/>
The person shifted slightly, moving closer to Nina’s cage.<br/>
“My Name Is Oscar.” They told her. </p><p>“Os Kah.” Nina managed on the first trying, though, she tired a few times more to be very sure. “OzCar, Os car, Oscar?”</p><p>“You Got It.” Oscar confirmed, “You Can Call Me Oz. If That’s Easier.” </p><p>“Oz, Oscar.” Nina agreed, resting her head on her hands. </p><p>Oscar seemed to settle, leaning against the side of Nina’s cage, with a little sigh.<br/>
They went over a big bump, making Nina yelp, and upsetting the chimeras once again.<br/>
“Not long now.” Oscar muttered under their breath.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi!<br/>This idea has been rattling around in my brain for well over a year now. Chimeras are one of the things about FMA that has always really interested me, and it seemed unfair to write a chimera focused story without giving Nina a part way, round about, fix it fic. I will likely add more tags as i go along, and will include content warnings before specific chapters. </p><p>Be warned there are a lot of Ocs, mostly because the plot called for it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Calm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nina was learning new things about herself already. </p><p>Mostly that she could not stand the scent of bleach.  She lay down in her cage with her hands over her nose, hoping to block it somewhat.<br/>
True, the big, tiled room that she, and the other chimeras, had been brought too was nicer than the back of the van, the animal smell not as strong, and everything seemed calmer. </p><p>The chimeras who’s cages had been put up on a big metal table nearby were looking about, moving around their cages and squinting at the sunlight that came in from a nearby, high window. </p><p>But the floor reeked of bleach. It reminded her of when she was very young, and her father had been cleaning something, and being curious she picked up the bottle and sniffed it, only to find it burning and painful. She couldn’t tell if it was her nose being more sensitive than it used to be, or if someone had upturned a bottle on the floor. </p><p>Nina could still hear the soldiers that brought them in talking at the top of the stairs. But, she either couldn’t hear them well enough to tell what they were saying, or it was the same, muddled fuzziness that made it hard to speak. </p><p>She looked up at the chimeras on the bench again. She wondered why they were on the bench, and the rest were on the floor, including her. The ones on the bench were funny things, bright and alert, with both fur and scales like a lizard. She didn’t really understand though, because she wouldn’t have thought them much different from the others. </p><p>Though, Nina guessed she could have been on the floor because she was the biggest, by a lot. She was a little girl, but Alexander was a big dog, and he weighed a lot. Just the weight of his head in her lap alone was enough to tell that. She whined a little, closing her eyes tight. </p><p>Having Alexander there would have really helped. </p><p>That was a thought that kept crossing her mind. Nina felt guilty feeling like that, she should be more worried about her farther, missing him, but she missed Alexander more than anything in that moment. He had always been there, as far back as she could remember, with thick, fluffy fur and a slobbery smile. Nina knew the sound of his footsteps, and his rare, gentle barks. </p><p>And Alexander knew Nina. He knew what to do if she was scared, or so sad it felt like her chest hurt. </p><p>Nina whined again, ready to lay there and stew in her feelings for a while.<br/>
But her ear perked up, as it had started too when the noises around her changed. She couldn’t hear the soldiers talking at the top of the stairs, but she could hear someone walking down the stairs, and the occasional odd little squawk. </p><p>When the woman walked into the room, Nina realised she had already seen her when the cages were carried in, watching each one and writing on a clipboard.<br/>
She was not all that tall, as she passed, the top of Nina’s cage came up to her mid-thigh. She was quite skinny, though she had a round face, her cheeks were a little sunken, her collar bone stuck out above the neckline of the dark blue shirt she wore under her white lab coat. Her hair was brown, streaked with grey, and tied in a ponytail. </p><p>She had a chimera perched on her shoulder. It looked like a monkey with light brown fur, but it did not have arms, but big grey wings which it flapped a few times, before bringing one up to its mouth and chewing on it. It was the one that was making the squawking noises, while the woman talked to herself under her breath.<br/>
“If I can get this finished quickly, then I can get back to what I was doing.” She muttered, circling the room a few times, before her attention was drawn to the chimera’s on the bench. </p><p>The chimera on her shoulder squawked a couple more times, tilting its head over to the creatures on the bench. “Fresh Meat!” It said. The words were high pitched, and grating, but they were definitely words.<br/>
The woman shushed it loudly, turning away from the bench and walking towards Nina.<br/>
“We’re not playing with them, if you want to be down here, you have to behave.” She scolded it.</p><p>And she passed passed Nina by, putting her hand on a coat rack beside the door, letting the chimera hop up and perch on top of it with a little trill.<br/>
When the woman walked passed her again to return to the bench, </p><p>Nina sat up a bit, but had to stoop to avoid hitting her head.<br/>
“Hello?” She called out. </p><p>The woman turned around quickly, looking around frantically. </p><p>“Hello.” Nina repeated, doing a little wave. </p><p>“Oh,” The woman said, picking up her clipboard from the metal table and looking at it. “Oh! You must be Nina.” </p><p> “Yes, Nina.” Nina nodded. She liked saying her own name. </p><p>The woman dug around in the pocket for a moment, before pulling out a ring of keys.<br/>
She made her way back over to Nina’s cage, unlocking the pad lock on it, undoing the bolt, and swinging the door open for her. She stepped back and looked expectant for a moment.<br/>
“Come on, get out of there.” She said. </p><p>Nina nodded, and carefully crawled out of the cage. She was wobbly when she stood up, from being curled up so long, and had to lean on the cage for support. </p><p>“Go, I don’t need you in here.” The woman waved Nina towards the door.<br/>
“Go?” Nina tilted her head.<br/>
“Yes! Go. Leave. Somewhere else.” The woman urged.<br/>
“W-where?” Nina asked.<br/>
“Where? Just somewhere else.” The woman gritted her teeth. “Go find Oscar, he was talking to you.”<br/>
Nina nodded eagerly at that.<br/>
“Where Oz?”<br/>
“I don’t know, the first floor.” The woman sighed dramatically, flailing her arms for a moment, before pointing back to the stairs. “Go up those stairs, and then go up the other stairs.” She instructed. </p><p>Nina nodded once more and did as she was told. As she left the room, into the little hallway that held the stairs, she heard the chimera on the coat rack squawk again. </p><p>“Fresh Meat.” It said,<br/>
“Quiet you.” The woman replied, her keys jingling as she opened another cage, the chimera inside making unhappy noises in protest. </p><p>Nina shook her head, happy to be out of her cage, and started up the stairs. </p><p>She started out on two feet, taking careful steps. But soon found herself wobbly once again, and without a handrail to help her, she climbed up the first set of stairs.<br/>
It wasn’t that it was hard to do, she wasn’t out of breath. More like her feet weren’t used to holding all her weight, even as she stood on the top of the stairs, something was pulling her forwards, to crawl again. </p><p>Nina shook her head, she was going to stand up. </p><p>The narrow little stairs that lead down in the basement opened into a tight corridor, with wood panelled walls and bare floorboards. The hallway itself was quite dark, but there was daylight streaming in from either end. A couple of chairs littered the hallway, piled high with books and kitchen pots.<br/>
Nina tilted her head, feeling her ears perk up as she tried to listen out for any sounds that could be Oscar. She could still hear the noises from downstairs, the chattering and screeching of the chimeras picked up, making her move away from the stairs and into the corridor, closing the door behind her a little too hard. </p><p>It did a little to block out the noise, but a creek above her made her think someone had heard of her. </p><p>Nina flattened herself against the wall, pressing her hands to her chest when she felt her heart beat hard. Half expecting her father to come storming down the stairs, yelling at her for being noisy and interrupting his work. </p><p>But, the thundering footsteps didn’t come. In fact, for the moment, even the chimeras downstairs began to quieten down. Nina stayed still, trying to take a couple of deep breaths and tangling her fingers through the thick fur on her chest, finding the feeling of the fur between her fingers and the gentle tugging calming. </p><p>Someone poked their head around the doorway at one end of the hall, and Nina looked around quickly to see them. </p><p>“Are You Alright Nina?” Oscar asked, speaking as slowly and carefully as he had the last time. </p><p>She had only gotten a quick look at him when the van was unloaded, as the soldiers had taken him out first. He was only about as big as her, with messy red and brown hair, with a single white tuft above one ear, and big, green eyes that seemed to dominate his face. She hadn’t noticed the long, fluffy tail before, but it twitched regularly behind him. It was red, brown and white, like his hair. </p><p>Nina looked about before walking over to him, not letting go of her fur.<br/>
“Go, Find Oscar.” She said, pointing to the door. </p><p>Oscar looked at the door.<br/>
“Doctor Grove Does Not Like Being Watched, When She Works.” He explained, looking back at her. “Do You Need Something?” </p><p>Nina wiggled on the spot a moment, aware of how she had been feeling for a while. </p><p>“Yes.” She nodded, eagerly, wiggling as she tried to think of the words. </p><p>After a little while, Oscar tilted his head. His gaze was quite intense, uncomfortably so, so Nina instead chose to look at the little stitched up cut in the middle of his forehead, before it disappeared into his hairline.</p><p>Nina grunted, putting her hand on her head, as if it might help. She made a couple of noises that sounded like syllables, before remembering the word that some of the people where she had last been had used.<br/>
“Piss.” She said, aware that it was somewhat of a naughty word.<br/>
Oscar didn’t get mad at her, chuckling a little.<br/>
“You Need The Bathroom?” He asked.<br/>
Nina nodded eagerly. “Bath Rooom.” She repeated, wiggling.<br/>
“Follow Me.” Oscar told her, and stepped around her into the little corridor, strolling down it. </p><p>Nina noticed then, how he walked on tiptoes, swaying when he did, and figured that was why he could walk so quietly. She tried to copy as she followed him, but she was wobbly on her tiptoes, and it didn’t stop her stepping on what seemed like every creaky floorboard until they reached the tiled floor of the room at the end. </p><p>It was a big kitchen, the tiled black and white, with dark wood counters and cupboards, and dirty dishes piled up next to a big ceramic sink below a window. There was a table in the middle of the room, surrounded by mismatched chairs and covered in paperwork, used mugs and books.<br/>
Oscar sighed at the sight, leading Nina to a door at the other end of the kitchen. </p><p>The bathroom also big, the white tiles were the same as the one in the basement. Much like the rest of the house that Nina had seen, it was a bit messy, with towels strewn about and some how even more books, balanced on the toilet block. Against the far floor was a big bath, with a shower head hanging above it at a funny angle. </p><p>Nina went in and closed the door behind it, and went to lock it, to find that there was a bolt, nowhere to slide it into, with little gouges left in the doorframe where the other side had been. </p><p>She did what she needed too quickly, finding it odd that her feet could still lay on flat on the floor when she was sitting on the toilet. She made sure to go to the sink to wash her hands after, frowning at how dirty it looked, caked in soap scum. She would have tried to find something to clean up, had she not seen her reflection.<br/>
Nina knew what had happened, she really did. In all her confusion, she remembered being dragged into her father’s work room, of a blinding flash of white pain and a heavy muddledness that took days to start to lift. </p><p>She already knew she was bigger than she used to be, covered in thick white fur, she could even see the end of her wet black nose. But her reflection made it sink in, in a way it hadn’t before. </p><p>Her eyes were still the same, as was the colour of her hair, which hung down in strings where it hadn’t been washed or brushed in several days. Nina would say she looked more like Alexander than herself, but with a shorter snout, less jowls and still very human shaped teeth. She touched her face, feeling her cold nose and fur. Her palms and fingertips were about the only place she didn’t have fur, but she didn’t have paw pads either, but the skin was ashy, pale, and dry. </p><p>Nina took a deep breath, threading her fingers through the fur on her neck. </p><p>She was strangely calm, her chest hurt and her head spun a little, but she didn’t feel like she would cry, she found herself starting to pant, like a dog.<br/>
Nina might have just been a little girl, but she was clever, she was a good reader, and her father was never that good about putting books away, she understood, mostly, what her father did to her. </p><p>And she understood that there was no going back. </p><p>Nina felt strangely calm.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Drip Fed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the first nice morning in a long while. </p><p>The morning sunlight was warm and soft, flowing through the lace curtains in the room, Nina took a moment to enjoy it, listening out to the birds outside.<br/>
The room was going to be hers while she was staying, though no one could tell her how long it would be. It was a nice, big room, with a big window that let in the morning light. There was some furniture, the bed Nina slept on, a little beside table, a dark wood dresser that needed a good polishing, as well as a second bedframe with no mattress. </p><p>Oscar had spent much of the day before cleaning the room and bringing things into it, a rocking chair, a little rug, a stack of books, and a pile of blankets and pillows. He also left her some clothes, all boys clothes, because they were his, but they would fit Nina good enough.<br/>
Nina wasn’t sure how she felt about the clothes, they all seemed very thick or heavy, or had long sleeves and legs. Not very good for summer. Even early summer. She was already warm enough with only a single blanket on her legs and her thick fur. </p><p>She spent a little while longer enjoying the bird song, but eventually, needing the bathroom and being hungry began to gnaw on her, spurring her out of bed and to the chair where the clothes were folded. After shifting through the pile, she found a pair of dungarees. They were a light blue denim, worn and soft to the touch, they even had a hole carefully stitched into the back, perfect for a tail, she sniffed them, finding they smelt of soap and stale smoke. </p><p>She figured they would cover her enough, but that would leave her arms bare, so she wouldn’t get too hot. It was a little struggle to pull them up, where they caught on her thick fur a little and felt tighter than they really were. And she struggled with the fastenings for too long for her taste, deciding she would just fasten the right one.</p><p>There wasn’t a mirror in her room, but Nina tried to run her fingers through her hair to tidy it up, cringing as they caught on knots. </p><p>And with one big breath, she headed out of the room.<br/>
She stepped out into the long hallway, closing the door behind her. </p><p>Compared to her room, the hallway was dark. It seemed the building was full of dark little hallways. </p><p>When Nina walked towards the stairs, she passed a door that had not been open the night before. She peeked around the door. The room was only lit by light peaking around heavy curtains on the window, there was just enough that she could tell it was a tight little room, with a double bed pushed up against one wall. Like most of the rooms she had seen, it was cluttered with extra furniture all pushed into one corner. </p><p>But it was the figure laid on the bed caught her interest. </p><p>And she must have caught theirs, as they looked over at her.<br/>
They lay rather limply, their chest moving with big, heaving motions as they breathed. The lower half of their body was covered in a few blankets, the upper half propped up with several pillows.</p><p> They reminded Nina a bit of how she looked, but with dark grey, scraggly fur all over, and much longer, skinnier limbs. Their arm that was closest to the door was bandaged at the elbow, and a piece of rubber tubing that lead out of it, to a nearly empty bottle, hanging upside down from a metal frame. </p><p>“Hello.” Nina said softly, waving. </p><p>The person in the bed blinked at her and took a careful measured breath. </p><p>“Good morning,” They said in a rough, raspy voice. They took a big breath after that. </p><p>Nina smiled. “Good Morning!” she repeated. </p><p>The other chimera did not smile, but their eyes crinkled. </p><p>“Nina.” Nina pointed to herself, and then pointed at them. </p><p>“Bravo.” They managed. </p><p>Nina nodded in excitedly. </p><p>“Nice to meet you.” Bravo shut their eyes for a moment. “Go have breakfast.” </p><p>“You?” Nina asked, stepping into the room a little. </p><p>“I’ve got this.” Bravo assured her, lifting their non bandaged arm to point at the bottle on the stand. </p><p>“Not food.” Nina commented, squinting at it. It looked just like water to her. </p><p>Bravo shook their head, “Go, get food.” They urged. </p><p>Nina looked to Bravo, and the bottle again. </p><p>Nina nodded after a moment. </p><p>“I come back.” She told Bravo. </p><p>Bravo lifted their head, tilting it a little. “Okay.” They panted. “Bring Oz.” </p><p>Nina titled her head as well, before nodding. </p><p>“Okay.” She agreed, turning and stepping out of the room. </p><p>“Close the door.” Bravo told her. </p><p>Nina nodded, did as she was told, but stopped out of the room. </p><p>She listened for a moment and could still hear Bravo’s heavy breathing. She wanted to go back in, tug them out of bed, and bring them down for breakfast. She didn’t want them to be alone. But she decided to do as she was told. </p><p>With a sigh, Nina continued down the hall, to the stairs, and down into the main foyer. She listened as she did, picking up the sound of a radio, slightly hushed voices and distant noises from the basement. </p><p>She knew her way through to the kitchen. When she was in the little hallway, she tried to avoid the creaky floorboards, yet still somehow stepped on each one. When she got closer, she could hear the radio clearer, turned down to a low volume. </p><p>The people speaking on the radio had a different accent to what she was used to, much more like Doctor Grove and Oscar. </p><p>When she entered the kitchen, Doctor Grove was at the table, writing quickly on some important looking papers, she did not look up when Nina entered, but Oscar was at the big gas stove, stirring something in a big pan, and looked over his shoulder at her. He was dressed like it was cold out, in a big knitted sweater and the same black, leather gloves he had been wearing the day before.</p><p>“I’ll take these to the post box this afternoon.” Doctor Grove said, taking an envelope from a little pile. </p><p>Oscar nodded and made a little noise, looking back to his pan. </p><p>Nina wondered through the kitchen to the bathroom. </p><p>Once the door was closed, Nina could hear Doctor Grove speak up.<br/>
“If you’ve got something to say, say it.” She muttered. </p><p>Nina stayed by the door for a moment.<br/>
“I have nothin’ more to say to you.” She heard Oscar sigh. </p><p>Nina waited, but nothing more was said, there was just the shuffling of papers and the sound of a wooden spoon scraping around in a pan. She finished up quickly, fumbled with the fastening of the dungarees, washed her hands with the dried-up bar of soap, and regarded her reflection in the mirror once more.<br/>
It was not as bad as the day before, but still didn’t make her feel good. </p><p>She left the bathroom quickly after that. She hurried over to the table and chose the chair with it’s back to the sink, closest to Oscar without getting in his way.<br/>
She pulled out the chair, and the loud squeak of it made Oscar jump slightly. </p><p>“Sorry.” She said, climbing up onto the chair, taking a moment to slip her tail through the bars on the back of it. </p><p>“Don’t be,” Doctor Grove said, “He’s always been jumpy.” </p><p>Nina titled her head curiously.<br/>
“Sorry.” She repeated. </p><p>Oscar didn’t say anything, but shut off the gas hob, and moving to a pile of clean dishes next to the sink. He picked up three miss matched bowls and some spoons that were standing in a cup. He put the spoons down on the table in front of Nina, turning back to his pan with the bowls.<br/>
Nina pushed two of the spoons to the middle of the table, keeping the one with the nice, green handle for herself.</p><p>Oscar filled each bowl with something thick and gloopy looking, handing one to Nina and then Doctor Grove, putting a glass of water down for Nina first before taking the seat with his back to the cooker. </p><p>Doctor Grove ignored her bowl for the moment, filling in another form instead. </p><p>Oscar sat at the table, closest to the cooker, before eating he pulled a book that lay open on the table closer to him. After that, began eating with small spoonful’s, though his eyes stayed on the page. </p><p>Nina sniffed her food first. It was becoming very hard to not sniff things first. From looking at it in the bowl, it looked like porridge, and it smelled very much like porridge too. But there was something about it that seemed a little strange. Like opening a container of powdered milk or eggs for the first time.</p><p>She took her first spoonful and blew on it carefully, and found it tasted of plain porridge. </p><p>After she started eating, Doctor Grove pushed her paperwork aside, dragging her own bowl and spoon over, and taking a bite.<br/>
“I can tell you used powdered milk.” Doctor Grove said, her nose crinkled as she turned her head towards Oscar, who looked up from his book and met her gaze with a blank stare.  </p><p>“We have no other milk.” He stated, before going back to his book. </p><p>Doctor Grove stared back at him a moment. “Is this some kind of punishment for not putting in the supply order?” She asked, pushing her glasses up. </p><p>Oscar didn’t look up a second time.<br/>
“It’s not a punishment. I can’t cook with ingredients we don’t have.” He turned a page in the book. He was frowning down at it.</p><p>Nina leaned over, peering into his book, it had yellowed pages, and text a little too small and tight to read sideways and across the table. </p><p>Doctor Grove got up, her chair dragging along the floor with a loud squeak, making Oscar flinch again. She picked up her bowl and her mug, walking off down the hallway to her basement. She did not turn that way, instead turning left after the foyer. </p><p>Nina and Oscar sat in silence for a moment, before Oscar spoke up. </p><p>“Maybe when she realises it’s chicory coffee, she’ll do the fuckin’ order.” He muttered, before looking over to Nina. “Is There Something You Want To Do Today?” </p><p>Nina thought about it for a moment. </p><p>“Go see Bravo.” She said, nodding when she did. </p><p>Oscar raised an eyebrow at that.<br/>
“You Know About Bravo?” He asked. </p><p>“Yes.” Nina nodded. “Like Nina.” </p><p>“Bravo Likes You, or Bravo Is Like You?” Oscar asked, frowning slightly and squinting. </p><p>“Is.” Nina confirmed. </p><p>Oscar looked down at his breakfast, stirring it absentmindedly.<br/>
“Okay, But We Will Ask Bravo If He Is Okay With You Being There.” He paused a moment. “Nina, I Will Have to Change His Canula and Drip Tubing. Is That Okay?” </p><p>Nina stared back at him. She had a vague idea what a drip was, it was how they got medicine into very ill people, but she didn’t understand what a canula was, or why it would need to be changed. She tilted her head to the side, not sure how she would even start to explain that. </p><p>“I Will Probably Have To Stick Needles In Bravo’s Hand.” Oscar explained. “Or His Other Arm. Or His Leg, If It Hasn’t Healed.” </p><p>“Why?” Nina asked, curling her right arm towards herseld. “Ouch.” </p><p>“It Doesn’t Hurt That Bad.” Oscar looked up for a moment and licked his top lip. “Bravo Has A Hard Time Eating and Drinking, The Drip Has A Lot Of Stuff He Needs, And The Canula Lets Us Put It Straight In His Veins.” He looked back to Nina. “Does That Make Sense?”</p><p>Nina looked up too, while she thought about it, but all she saw was ceiling covered in aging cream paint. She nodded. </p><p>Oscar nodded back. He held eye contact for a short while, before going back to his book. </p><p>Nina had a couple of spoonfuls of porridge before giving into her curiosity, she reached over and pointed at his book.<br/>
“What is?” </p><p>“It’s About Child Psychology.” Oscar told her. </p><p>“Why?” Nina asked. </p><p>Oscar didn’t look up.<br/>
“I Don’t Know How To Help You, But I’m Going To Try.”  He said calmly.</p><p>“Oh,” Nina nodded, that sounded nice, to try to help, even when you don’t know how. “We try.” She agreed. </p><p>Oscar did smile then, just a little, down at his book and his porridge.  </p><p>They fell into a nice silence, with the slightly staticky radio and occasional page turning serving as pleasant accompanying noise to spoons against bowls.<br/>
Nina finished first. Unsure what to do next, she looked about for a moment, her eyes falling on the clean and stacked dishes to the side of the sink, and thinking back to the big pile of dirty dishes that had been there the night before. </p><p>“Stick It In The Sink.” Oscar told her, looking up to nod in the direction of the sink. </p><p>Nina did as she was told, but she lingered at the sink until Oscar got up to put his bowl in the sink as well. As he moved away to the stove, Nina went with him, watching him put the lid on the pot of porridge. </p><p>After that, Oscar moved around the table, across the room to the large radio, to turn it off, with Nina close on his heels. He glanced at her, before stepping around her, heading to the hallway. He paused in the door frame, at Nina who was already close behind him.</p><p>“I’m Going To A Room You Can’t Go To.” Oscar informed her, holding a hand up between them, the palm facing Nina. </p><p>She was a little confused by it, pausing to sniff the glove he was wearing, before reaching out and putting her own hand against his. Her hands were bigger, with thicker fingers. </p><p>“Help?” Nina asked. </p><p>Oscar was so busy staring at their hands that her question surprised him. </p><p>“You Can’t Come With Me. It’s Medical Supplies, We Would Get In A Lot Of Trouble.” He explained, before looking around the kitchen. “You Could… Get A Tea Tray, And A Bowl Of Porridge, A Spoon, And Two Glasses Of Water, And Meet Me Upstairs.” He pointed as he spoke, at a old tea tray propped up next to the clean dishes, the pot of porridge, and a cupboard that likely contained glasses. </p><p>Nina nodded, eagerly. </p><p>Oscar withdrew his hand carefully, fingers curling up as he slunk away, heading down the hallway, probably to the door Nina was told she couldn’t go through.<br/>
She didn’t mind though, because the other place she wasn’t allowed was the basement, and she didn’t want to be down there again. And, she had a job to do. </p><p>Nina started at the cupboard Oscar had pointed at, opening it up to find it full of glasses of all shapes and sizes, some with carved patterns on, long stemmed wine glasses, little ones that wouldn’t hold much more than a thimble she reckoned, and even a old beaker with the little pouring spout chipped off. None of them truly matched, but she managed to find two stout little carved glasses, both decently sized with heavy bases, that probably wouldn’t tip as she carried them up the stairs.<br/>
She filled them from the tap, to a little bellow the top, hoping she wouldn’t make too much of a mess. In a moment of quick thinking, she grabbed a kitchen rag from the back of one of the chairs, and lay it on the tea tray, before putting the glass down. </p><p>The bowl of porridge was next, and Nina was careful of the still warm pan as she dished it out, at first, filling the bowl to the brim, eager for Bravo to have a big meal at the start of the day. She considered it carefully before deciding to scrape a little back into the pan.<br/>
If he was feeling sick, he might not want to eat lots, and if he did want to eat more, Nina could always go and get him seconds. </p><p>With everything else on the tray, Nina selected a spoon carefully from where they were standing up in a mug, along with two more full of knives and forks. She found one with a nice, thick handle made of wood, in case Bravo found it hard to hold spoons. Nina had no trouble, but she remembered the other chimera her father made couldn’t hold pens, or spoons. </p><p>She looked over her tray, and happy with it, she slid it carefully off the counter, keeping a firm grip on either side. The spoon rattled a little on the tray when she started walking, but the kitchen towel did a good job of stopping the bowl or glasses from slipping, as she stumbled across creaky floorboards and up the stairs.<br/>
They were nice, wide, even steps, but Nina still felt the impulse to crawl up them, rather than walk. But if she took them slow, there was no real problem.<br/>
She didn’t even notice Oscar until he started climbing the stairs, making the things on his own tray, which was metal, jingle, as he took the steps quickly. He gave her a little nod as he passed and continued regardless. </p><p>She heard him knock on Bravo’s door, before opening it and calling a quiet greeting, followed by the noise of something being dragged along the floor. She didn’t hear Bravo answer, but as she crested over the top of the stairs, she saw Oscar come out with a china pot, headed for the bathroom down the hall. </p><p>Nina had been shown where it was, but it was also just by Doctor Grove’s room, and Nina didn’t want to go too close.  Nina didn’t follow him, instead poking her head around Bravo’s open door. </p><p>He still lay there, panting. </p><p>“Breakfast.” Nina told him, smiling, holding up the tray. </p><p>Bravo lifts his head to give her a little nod, and Nina wondered into the room. </p><p>It was still darkish, with the curtains drawn, but the light was on, bathing the room in a slightly yellow light. A coffee table, about level with the bed, had been pulled out from the collection of furniture in the corner, and Oscar’s tray was on it. </p><p>Nina put her tray next to it, and made the mistake of looking at it. </p><p>Among a couple of bottles, cotton balls and bandages, sat two long, steel needles on top of a gauze pad. Nina’s hand went to the crook of her elbow, and the healed wound where one had gone in and come back out, and had to look down at her own tray. </p><p>“Water?” She asked.</p><p>Bravo chuckled.<br/>
“Told you, got the bottle.” He told her. </p><p>“Porridge?” Nina asked. </p><p>“Nah, I hate needles.” Bravo took a big breath. “I’ll wait.”</p><p>“Why?” Nina tilted her head, she didn’t understand what those two things had to do with eachother. </p><p>“They’re sharp.” </p><p>“No,” Nina shook her head. “Why no porridge?”</p><p>Bravo took another deep breath, and closed his eyes before answering.<br/>
“Might throw it up.”</p><p>“Ew.” Nina said. </p><p>Bravo chuckled at her again. </p><p>Oscar returned, stepping around Nina and tucking the china pot under the bed. He pulled a razor from his pocket, holding it up to Bravo.<br/>
“I knew there was one.” He said, putting it down on the tray. “You a’right with her staying?”</p><p>Bravo shrugged. </p><p>“Please Don’t Get In The Way.” Oscar told Nina.</p><p>Nina nodded, and sat down on the floor, towards the foot of the bed. At first she tried to kneel, but found it terribly uncomfortable, so rather, sat with her weight on her hip, and her legs kicked out sideways. </p><p>“A’right. Gonna take the old one out first.” Oscar tugged on Bravo’s limp wrist, pulling his arm closer to himself. “Think your hand ‘s healed enough?” He asked.<br/>
“Yeah.” Bravo took a big breath. “If not. Other arm. Before leg.” </p><p>“I didn't wanna risk that.” Oscar seemed to agree. Nina noticed, that he wasn't enunciating when he spoke to Bravo, like she did to her. Instead his voice was a little more nasal, a little more mumbly, and his words run together. Though, he wasn't much harder to understand.</p><p>He removed a safety pin from the bandage around Bravo’s elbow, before slowly unravelling it, rolling it up loosely as he did. Part way through, Oscar had to crouch down beside the bed, his heels touching the floor and his knees bent. It made Oscar look even smaller. </p><p>“Why?” Nina piped up. </p><p>Oscar tilted his head, but didn’t look up from his task. </p><p>“It’s Harder To Find A Vein, And It Get’s Pulled Out Too Often.” </p><p>“Why do you answer her?” Bravo panted down at him, with a narrowed gaze. </p><p>“Better she gets an answer from me, rather than going to Grove.” Oscar told him, brow furrowing as he pulled away the last of the bandages.<br/>
Nina didn’t know if Bravo’s little snarl was at the mention of Doctor Grove, or the sight of his arm. </p><p>It had been shaved, but the hair was starting to grow back in, like bristly grey stubble. What skin could be seen was greyish, but most of it was consumed by a big, ugly, purple bruise, surrounding a little metal bit, and the tube that connected with the bottle on the stand. </p><p>Nina watched Oscar pinch it with his bare fingers, and noticed, rather than wide and flat, his nails were thin and curved into the tip of his fingers. She would have looked for longer, but whimpered and looked away as he pulled it back, revealing a long, bloody needle.  </p><p>She heard it dropped on the metal tray, and looked back, finding Oscar pressing a cotton ball to the place it had been.</p><p>“Bet you’re glad I’m back.” Oscar said, flatly.  </p><p>Bravo made a little noise of agreement. </p><p>“Do you know when the tubing got changed?” </p><p>“When did you get back?” Bravo grumbled, again, sighing heavily when he was done speaking. </p><p>Oscar reached over to Nina’s tray, grabbed one of the glasses and putting it on his. He was quick to remove the cotton bud, and pick up a fresh one, wetting it gently and using it to wipe away the blood. </p><p>“Yesterday afternoon.” He said. “I was with Nina, that’s why I didn’t come up.” </p><p>“Excuses.” Bravo squinted at him. “Yesterday morning.” </p><p>“I’ll leave it for now, we’re running low.” He inspected the little wound and seemed alright with it, dropping the wet cotton ball with the other. “I’m going to shave you, before I stick the new one in.” </p><p>“I know.” Bravo grunted. </p><p>“Don’t be a dick. Workin’ on my bedside manner.” Oscar hissed back. He took the razor from where he had put it. It was a wooden handled safety razor, like the one Nina’s father had. He held Bravo’s hand, flipping it over with another grunt from the other chimera, and carefully shaved off the fur, and inspected it. </p><p>“Lawrence is getting to you.” Bravo mumbled. </p><p>Oscar ignored him, as he put the razor down, with one hand he grasped Bravo’s wrist tightly, with the other, he took another dampened cotton ball and wiped the area. He took up one of the new needles.</p><p>“You wanna look the other way while I do this, or bitch and moan?” Oscar asked Bravo </p><p>Bravo turned his head away, again it lay kind of limply, resting against the headboard. He closed his eyes, like even that movement took every ounce of his strength.<br/>
“You Can Look Away, Nina.” Oscar told her gently. “And you might feel a bit of a prick.” He told Bravo, somewhat less gently.</p><p>Nina did look away when she was told to, gritting her teeth as Bravo gasped. When she looked back, Oscar was carefully winding a long bandage around Bravo’s hand, holding the needle in place with his thumb. </p><p>Bravo didn’t look back, instead was panting slightly. </p><p>“There, not so bad.” Oscar sighed, as he finished wrapping the hand. He moved his thumb to hold down the end of the bandage while he fetched a safety pin to hold it in place. </p><p>Nina wasn’t sure she agreed with that, with how limp Bravo looked, and the way Oscar frowned down at the bandage.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter had to be re written a couple of times, finished now, so i can work on the next chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Phone Calls</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What are you doing?”</p><p>“Typing up reports.”</p><p>Nina’s ear perked up at the conversation. She had settled down to the low volume of the radio, sounds of steady typing, and Simon, the Parrot-Monkey, scurrying around it’s cage. She didn’t turn her head towards the open dining room door, instead, pulled her book to the end of her nose. </p><p>Doctor Grove snorted, loudly pushing one of the other dining chairs in.<br/>
“I told you I would do it.” </p><p>“I type faster than you.” Oscar grunted back, pausing in his typing. “We need to have them ready for Lawrence to take back with him.” He began again, with the noise of the carriage sliding back into place to begin a new line. </p><p>“How did you know Lawrence was coming?” Doctor Grove asked sharply, making Nina hunker down, trying to flatten herself to the floor, hoping she could blend in with the old, off white rug. Or maybe hide behind the pretty cover of the book she was reading.</p><p>“Well, he did after the last intake.” Nina heard Oscar sigh, “And while I was in East City they updated me on intake protocol; veterinary inspection within four weeks of intake, veterinary consultation before…” he paused his typing, and whispered “culling.” Before beginning again. “With this intake being high profile, they would send the veterinary lead.”</p><p>“High profile?”</p><p>“It was on the radio, broad strokes at least, understandable, with who was involved, and what happened… after.” Oscar mused. </p><p>“Fuck.” Doctor Grove spat. “We don’t need this.” </p><p>Oscar made a little ‘mmrp’ noise as his typing picked up speed. </p><p>“Don’t paraphrase.” Doctor Grove told him sternly, her keys jingling as she stepped away from the table. </p><p>“Wouldn’t dare.” Oscar told her. </p><p>Doctor Grove snorted at him, and walked towards Nina, who peaked up at her. </p><p>“Do what you’re told.” Doctor Grove commanded, stepping over Nina. </p><p>Nina nodded, before hiding in her book again. She stayed as still as she could, until she heard the front door close. </p><p>She heard Oscar sigh, and pull the page from the typewriter.<br/>
“Early Bedtime Tonight.” </p><p>“Whhhy?” Nina asked, putting her book down, looking up to peer at him. </p><p>Oscar still sat at one of the dining chairs, sat on one of the cushions from the sofa, another tucked between his back and the chair spindles. He squinted at the page in his hand, before sighing once more, placing the page on his completed pile, placing a paper weight on top.</p><p>“She’ll Be In A Bad Mood When She Gets Back.” Oscar warned.</p><p>“Whhyyy?” Nina asked, getting up from the rug, and stretching. It did little to lessen the nagging pain in her back. She heard a car door slam shut outside and made her way over to the window. She kneeled, just lifting the bottom of the yellowed lace curtains, watching the muddy car driving out of the front courtyard, and onto the dirty track beyond the gate.</p><p>“Because She’s Going To A Bar.” Oscar spat the last word the way Doctor Grove spat swears. </p><p>Nina heard his chair move clearly, but only just heard him stepping around the table. </p><p>“I Need To Do Something.” Oscar announced. </p><p>While she didn’t hear him leave the room, when she glanced back, he was nowhere to be seen.</p><p>“Alone Now” Simon, squawked from its cage. It hung from the curved roof by it’s long, monkey toes, and flapped it’s wings. Before breaking out in a nasty cackling laugh. </p><p>“Am Not!” Nina snapped back at it. </p><p>Simon simple laughed more, before crawling down the side of its cage, using it’s wings as well as it’s feet, until it could leap onto a hanging perch. It whistled, before muttering “All Alone.”</p><p>Nina got up, slowly. Her back was hurting, a constant dull ache that made her annoyed at everything. She had a handful of books scattered around where she had been laying on the floor, but without the comforting sound of typing coming from the dining room, she didn’t feel much like reading anymore. </p><p>“Alone” Simon jeered as she passed by. </p><p>Nina was going to ignore it, but realised Doctor Grove was not there to tell her off, and turned quickly towards the cage, barking at Simon as loud as she could. It was a big sound, one that started deep in her chest. Simon leapt from it’s perch with a shriek, hitting the back wall, making the cage shake. It crumpled at the bottom of the cage, cowering behind it’s wings. </p><p>It didn’t make Nina feel any better. </p><p>When she walked into the dining room, she found Oscar’s little corner of the dining table, still surrounded by papers and a stack of books. On one side of his type writer was a pile of handwritten notes, bundled together with paper clips. The handwriting was small, and flowed together in a way that made it hard for Nina to read.<br/>
Oscar’s second pile, typed out, were easier to read, like pages of a big science book. A small typeface, lots of big words she wasn’t quite sure what they meant. She recognised a lot of the words, had seen them before in books and her own father’s notes, but Nina didn’t understand the context. </p><p>She looked over the table once more, finding nothing that interesting. And couldn’t see Oscar in the kitchen, where their dinner waited in a pot on the stove. The left over rabbit stew from the night before, which while she felt bad for eating bunnies, had been tasty and filling. </p><p>Nina looked back to the cage in the living room. </p><p>She felt bad for barking at Simon. </p><p>She took a deep breath before walking back up to the cage.<br/>
“Sorry.” Nina said to Simon. </p><p>Simon was still huddled in the corner of it’s cage, it squawked at her, baring it’s pale gums and nubs of rotten teeth.<br/>
Nina nodded, she understood that she wasn’t yet forgiven. She decided to give it some space, and ask if she could give Simon a treat later, and see if it would forgive her then. </p><p>Before leaving the room, she picked up a book to take with her. ‘The Wildlife of Amestris’ was a well loved little hardback, it’s spine felt a little floppy from use, the blue ribbon bookmark a little frayed, a number of pages dog eared. She looked to the stairs at first, wondering if Bravo would let her peak out of his window and watch the birds nesting in the drainpipe fly back and forwards. </p><p>But then Nina noticed something. </p><p>In the foyer, other than the stairs, there were three ways to go. The little, dark hallway that lead to the basement and kitchen on the back wall. To the left, was the doorless frame to the living room. And across from that was the right-hand door, which Nina had been told not to go through. </p><p>It was ajar for the first time, rather than firmly closed, or open with Doctor Grove standing in the doorway with crossed arms and a disapproving look.<br/>
She could also hear Oscar, speaking quickly and low, somewhere on the other side of the door. </p><p>Nina couldn’t really tiptoe anymore, she found it hard to go up onto her toes and also stay upright, and even if she did she still had heavy footsteps that Oscar could hear coming from the other side of the house. So, she shuffled across the checkerboard tiles that covered the floor of the foyer. </p><p>When she was next to the door, Nina let her ear perk up, though she didn’t really need to hear better. </p><p>“-previously, we didn’t see any improvement before she declined. But things are different this time, she’s learning.” Oscar said, from somewhere in the hall. As Nina peaked through the door, seeing that the door directly adjacent was cracked open, sunlight pouring through into the hallway. </p><p>There was another voice, tinny and distant, that Nina couldn’t make quiet make out.<br/>
“Some words she just starts saying on her own, other’s she overhears and then starts repeating it.” Oscar answered, paused for the other voice. “It’s getting better too.” </p><p>While the other voice was speaking, Nina shuffled towards the door and pushed it open, taking a step into the hall. Emboldened, she took another, and another. </p><p>And then there was a enormous creak. Nina froze. </p><p>The house was full of creaky floorboards, it made it very hard to move around quietly. </p><p>“Excuse me a moment.” Oscar said. </p><p>A moment later he opened the door, looking at Nina with a raised eyebrow, one hand on his hip. </p><p>“Are You Supposed To Go Through That Door?” He asked. </p><p>“No…” Nina shook her head. </p><p>“Neither Am I, Unless I’m Told To.” Oscar chuckled. “You Can Come Into The Office, Just Don’t Move Anything.” He stepped out of the way of the door, circled back around the desk, and picked the phone back up. “I was just checking on Nina.” </p><p>Nina wondered in, looking around the office. The bookshelves were disorganised and overstuffed, sandwiches with loose papers and jars, containing pickled specimens. She walked closer to get a good look at one closer to the door. </p><p>Inside the jar, the specimen was curled up in the fetal position, It’s bony, featherless wings wrapping about it’s distorted legs. It was mostly furless, it’s body wrinkly and pale, like it had spent too long in a bath. It’s head reminded Nina of Simon, with it’s monkey head and lopsided eyes. Though, a beak, or at least part of one, black and curved, poked out of it’s lips. </p><p>There was a label on the front, a little sun damaged, the twisting cursive script very difficult for her to read. But she could make out the date, the 6th of February, 1886, and a name, Bram Nichol. </p><p>“Oh! Say hello to her for me.” The voice on the other end of the phone said. </p><p>Oscar rolled his eyes. “Arlo Say’s Hello.” </p><p>“Arlo?” Nina questioned, looking towards him and tilting her head to the side. </p><p>“Arlo Lawrence, He’s The Lead Veterinarian.” Oscar told her. </p><p>“You haven’t told her about me? I’m hurt.” The person on the phone complained.</p><p>Nina nodded, and then moved along the shelf, taking in the titles of the books. </p><p>Oscar sighed. “We’ve had more pressing concerns.” </p><p>“It’s not a problem, I am looking forward to meeting Nina.” Arlo assured; Nina could hear shuffling papers down the phone. “While I have you, how are you feeling?”</p><p>Nina started to notice a couple of names coming up a lot, on both the spines of books, the labels on the specimen jar, the titles of papers sticking out between books, Doctor Cynthia Grove, and Bram Nichol. She wondered if it was the same Doctor Grove she knew. </p><p>“I don’t know.” Oscar flopped into the leather chair behind the desk, his legs thrown over the arm rest. “Maybe a two?” </p><p>“That’s an improvement, how are the stitches?” </p><p>“Itchy.” Oscar rubbed at his hairline with the heal of his hand. Smiling to Nina when she glanced back at him, tilting her head.</p><p>“Well yes, they’ve been in more than a week. They should have been taken out by now.” Arlo said on the other end, followed by the noise of scribbling. “If Doctor Grove won’t, and Bravo can’t, do you think you could do it yourself?”</p><p>“I could try.” Oscar sighed. </p><p>“You’re sighing a lot. Is it your chest or sinuses?”</p><p>Oscar hissed at the phone, making Arlo laugh.</p><p>Nina turned away from the bookshelf, wondering up to the chair Oscar was curled up in. She reached out and tugged on his trouser leg.<br/>
“O-Key?” She asked. </p><p>“I’m Fine, Nina.” Oscar told her. “It’s All Normal.” </p><p>“Nina?” Arlo asked, “Has Oscar been sighing a lot?”</p><p>Oscar frowned at the phone, before holding the receiver out to Nina. She sniffed it, finding that it smelled like Doctor Grove. Oscar shook his head, mouthing the word ‘No’.</p><p>Nina frowned back at him. She didn’t know if he wanted her to say no, or to not sniff the phone.<br/>
“Yeh.” She nodded. </p><p>“Thank you, Nina” Arlo said, followed by the noise of writing.</p><p>Oscar grunted, taking back the receiver. </p><p>“I’m just tired.” He protested. </p><p>“I know, but you know why I have to check these things.” There was the noise of flipping paper. “I’m adding Nina to the intake check-up, but I will also make time for you and Bravo.” </p><p>“Mrrp” Oscar purred. “Get back to work and stop fussing” </p><p>“You’re the one that called my office.” Arlo laughed. “But yes, I need to get going now. So I’ll say Good Bye. Now.” </p><p>“You need to say goodbye to Nina too.” Oscar said, holding out the receiver to Nina, who sniffed it again. Oscar didn’t tell her no. </p><p>“Good Bye, Nina.” Arlo told her. </p><p>“Goodbyeeeee” Nina called down the phone, waving at the receiver. </p><p>Oscar tried to hide his smile with the back of his free hand, but Nina could see the corner of his eyes crinkle. </p><p>“Alright, good bye to both of you, I will see you soon.”</p><p>“See you soon.” Oscar said back, all but tossing the phone back on the hook. </p><p>They fell into a comfortable, with just the noise of the ticking of the clock on the desk, beside the phone.</p><p>Nina reached over towards Oscars head, and he slid down in the chair and stared up at her hand. </p><p>“What Are You Doing?” He asked, maintaining his usually calm, 'speaking to Nina' tone, but his eyes were wide, and his mouth drawn into a thin line.<br/>
Nina pointed to where the visible stitch in his hairline was, just low enough that the first of the black sutures stood out against his skin, rather than getting lost in the muddled colours of his hair. </p><p>“Help you?” Nina asked. Making sure not to move her hand. </p><p>She realised a couple of days before that Oscar was a cat chimera, and since, she tried to remember everything she knew about cats, which was not a lot, because her family only ever had dogs. But staying still seemed like a good idea no matter what was afraid of you. </p><p>“You Want To Help Remove My Stitches?” Oscar asked, relaxing a little in his seat. </p><p>“Yes.” Nina nodded, withdrawing her hand. </p><p>“That Is Very Kind.” Oscar said, sitting up straighter. “I Will Try To Do It Myself Later.”</p><p>Nina pouted at that, crossing her arms.</p><p>Oscar sighed, looking out the window at the back of the office.<br/>
“If I Need Help, I Will Ask You To Hold The Mirror.” He offered. </p><p>Nina uncrossed her arms.<br/>
“Okey.”</p><p>Oscar smiled.<br/>
“It’s Nice Out Today. Do You Want To See If We Have Any Strawberries This Year?” </p><p>Nina gasped, bouncing where she stood.<br/>
“St-trawb-be-be-ies?” She asked. </p><p>“Yes, There’s A Patch In The Yard.” Oscar hid a chuckle behind his hand. </p><p>“Strawbebeies!” Nina cheered. Then paused. She liked strawberries, because they were sweet. </p><p>She wondered if Parrots and Monkeys liked things that were sweet too. </p><p>"Can Simon Strawbebe?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am hoping that the next chapter will be up quicker, and also will actually get on with the plot.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Strawberries</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a bright sunny day. With a wide blue sky, with hardly any clouds. And those that did drift into view were fine, wispy things that offered little shade.</p><p>The yard was a mix of broken up brick pathways, overgrown grass and shrubs, and a dirt patch that may once had been a vegetable patch, but was long since been choked by mint and an enormous strawberry plant, though many of the berries having been pecked by birds or eaten by slugs. Many that had not been had already begun to rot in the heat.</p><p>Nina liked getting to go out and search for the good ones, especially if it meant she got a bowl of strawberries with her breakfast and lunch. With sugar, since the food order had come in.</p><p>The air was warm and dry, and many interesting smells carried on the breeze. Smells from plants and trees, sweet and floral or green and woodsy. The rotting strawberries, sweet but in a far sicklier way. Animals that had scurried through the garden, some that smelt stronger than others, some that smelt more appealing.<br/>
Nina looked around carefully before picking a big, ruby red berry, and biting it down to the leaves in one go. It was soft, sun warmed, and incredibly sweet. She licked her lips carefully, aware that the juice had already stained the fur on her fingers pink, and not wanting to do the same around her mouth.<br/>
She tossed the top and leaves of the strawberry away into the strawberry patch.</p><p>The bowl she was putting the strawberries in was already halfway full, and Nina was starting to pant in the summer heat, but the sounds of cages being moved, and occasional arguing continued, so, she carried on picking strawberries. </p><p>Though, eventually, that dull pain in her back, between her shoulder’s, returned. Nina powered through for a little longer, grumbling to herself and trying to shrug off the pain as it began to creep up her neck. </p><p>But, the bowl was nearly full, the sun was beating down on her, and the smell of rotten strawberries becoming overwhelming, Nina gave up. She got up from the strawberry patch, dusting off the knees of her overalls, and picked up the bowl. </p><p>She head for the corner of the yard where the tall wall offered her more shade, flopping down onto her side and allowing herself to pant wholeheartedly.</p><p>Nina had once loved the summer, because it meant sunshine and playing outside, but covered in thick fur, she really understood why Alexander would get so slow and lazy on hot summer days. She had spent plenty of afternoons trying to coax him out of a nice shady spot to play.</p><p>Nina reached into the bowl, pulling out a strawberry to eat. </p><p>She heard the back door open and shut, and dropped the strawberry, laying her head back down.</p><p>“Are The Strawberries Good Today?” Oscar asked, crossing the grass. </p><p>“Not eat.” Nina shook her head.</p><p>“Why Is Your Chin Pink?” Oscar asked, pointing to his own chin with the thermos in his hand. </p><p>Nina touched her chin, finding the fur kind of damp. She knew she drooled, a little, when she ate something nice, or smelt something nice, or when she was sleeping, but hadn’t thought she had eaten enough strawberries to stain her fur, like they had stained her fingers.<br/>
So she stuck her tongue out at him. </p><p>“I See, The Strawberries Are Very Good Today.” Oscar nodded. “We Should Take Them With Us On The Picnic.”</p><p>“Pic Nic?” Nina asked, looking around the yard. She had been told very firmly not to leave. </p><p>“The Lab Is A Mess, But Doctor Grove Told Me We Could Go Down To The Stream, So You Can Cool Off.” Oscar lifted the biscuit tin in his other hand, he also had a canteen hanging around his neck. “I Made You A Tongue Sandwich.” </p><p>Nina rolled over so she could get up onto her knees, then feet. She scooped up her bowl of strawberries.<br/>
“Where’s stream?”</p><p>“Just Beyond The Apple Trees.” Oscar shrugged, turning towards the gate. “Stay Close Behind Me.”</p><p>Nina hurried on behind him, peaking over his shoulder as he tucked the thermos under his arm, in order to pull out a handful of keys on a ring. She reached around to point at them. </p><p>“These Are The Outside Keys.” Oscar told her, grasping old of a brass looking key, using it to unlock the gate. </p><p>After letting Nina through, Oscar didn’t close or lock lock the gate.<br/>
Nina pointed to the lock.<br/>
“Why?”</p><p>“Doctor Grove And Arlo Are Coming Out Here Once We Are Gone.” Oscar told her, already walking away.</p><p>“Whhyyy?” Nina was quickly at his heals, looking around at the place beyond the yard. On either side of them were stable blocks with barred up windows, the ground was covered in the same bricks as the path cutting thorough the yard. There was a muddy, flat bed four by four parked by one of the buildings, with a big metal water bowl next to it. </p><p>“They’re Going To Use The Furnace.” Oscar said, walking over to the four by four, and whistling. </p><p>Nina would have pushed him more, if not for the thing the quickly bounded out from under the car, jumping up at Oscar, making him drop the tin that contained their sandwiches and knocking over the water bowl. Nina herself jumped, nearly dropping the bowl of strawberries, but catching it at the last minute.</p><p>It was a big, tan dog, with a wrinkly black face and a long tongue, that hung out of it’s mouth and trailed drool down it’s jowls. On it’s hind legs, it stood as tall as Oscar, with a thick, wagging tail. </p><p>“No, Sunny, down!” Oscar protested, pushing the dog off of himself. “Bad Girl!”</p><p>Sunny landed on all fours, unbothered, and made straight for the tin, ignoring when Oscar picked it up, and continued to sniff it, the long lead coming off her collar, tethering her to the car’s front grill, dragged along the ground.</p><p>Nina barked, it slipped out without her really realising it was coming. It wasn’t even a big or scary bark, more of what Al would have called a Bork. Just Alexander letting everyone know he was there.  She quickly covered her mouth with her spare hand, but Sonny had turned towards her.<br/>
Sunny didn’t bark back, wondering up and sniffing towards Nina, she came up as close as her lead wouldn’t allow her to take another step. She swayed back and forwards, tail wagging wildly.</p><p>“Don’t Worry Nina, Sunny Is Friendly.” Oscar assured, he put the tin and thermos down. He walked up, and took hold of Sunny’s thick collar “And She’s Used To Canine Chimeras.” </p><p>Sunny sat down with a thump the moment Oscar put his hand on her collar, but she continued to sniff noisily towards Nina. But Oscar wasn’t very big, and not as wide as Sunny. If she wanted to, she could break away from him easily. But, she also sat down the moment he touched her, without even being told, and everything about how Sunny was holding herself screamed “I want to be friends.” Or at least that is what the back of Nina’s mind told her.</p><p>While in her head, she was a little scared, her body didn’t feel scared. </p><p>Nina took a deep breath, and held out a hand towards Sunny. The dog quickly sniffed all over her hand, her wet nose leaving little bits of snot and slobber all over Nina’s white fur. </p><p>“Ew.” Nina said, eventually taking her hand back as Sunny calmed down. </p><p>“Sunny Is A Slobber Monster, But She’s A Nice Slobber Monster.” Oscar told Nina. He whistled, catching Sunny’s attention, and she got up to follow him.<br/>
They walked back towards the car, and Oscar took a shorter lead that was hanging from the wing mirror. Sunny sat down when he touched her collar to swap her leads, looping the short lead around his wrist. </p><p>“Can You Get the Picnic?” Oscar asked, keeping his hand on Sunny’s collar, tipping what was left of the water out of the water bowl.</p><p>“Okay!” Nina nodded. She scurried over, scooping up the tin, putting it on top of the strawberries, and then taking the thermos and tucking it under her arm.<br/>
Oscar let go of Sunny’s collar, letting her circle around them, and tucked the water bowl under his arm. </p><p>“Lets Go.” He told them, leading them away from the house, and towards the trees past the stable blocks. </p><p>Sunny stayed close to his heel, sniffing the ground as they went. Nina followed on after them, into the shade of the trees and the long grass. </p><p>“Watch Out For Sticks.” Oscar said, picking his way through the grass carefully, while Sunny crashed through the undergrowth with abandon.</p><p>Nina fell somewhere between that, looking where she was going, but bouncing along behind them. The trees were interesting, sweet smelling, with almost greyish bark. The branches spread wider than they were tall, and provided a canopy of lush shade. </p><p>“Nina,” Oscar started, stopping up ahead. “Do You Know How To Cook?” </p><p>“Uh.” Nina shook her head, stopping once she caught up to him “Toast?” </p><p>They had come to a stop just as the ground gave way to a fairly steep bank, that lead to a shallow, pebbly stream.<br/>
The water was clear, the pebbles occasionally speckled with green algae.</p><p>“Would You Like Me To Teach You How To Cook?” Oscar asked, kneeling down to let Sunny off of her lead. </p><p>“Yes!” Nina nodded</p><p>The dog bounded down the bank and into the water, splashing and bouncing around. Her jowls and wrinkles bouncing around, making her already silly looking face even sillier. </p><p>Nina giggled the sight.<br/>
“H-haapee!” Nina cheered. </p><p>“Sunny Is Always Happy.” Oscar observed, putting down the bowl, shrugging the canteen off. </p><p>Nina copied him, putting down the strawberries and the thermos. Without any further preamble, she ran down the bank to join Sunny in the water.<br/>
Just short of the stream edge, Nina slipped on the grass, landing on her rump in the stream. She yelped, startled for a moment. Sunny circled around to her to nudge and sniff her, Nina giggled as Sunny tried to sniff inside her ears and Nina pushed her away.</p><p> Sunny went right back to running in little circles and occasionally jumping to make bigger splashes in the ankle deep water.<br/>
“Are You Okay?” Oscar asked from the top of the bank.</p><p>“Yeah!” Nina bounced back up on her feet, and began to chase after Sunny, who started speeding up. </p><p>Oscar watched them silently as they took turns chasing each other in the water.<br/>
“Are You Happy?” He asked.</p><p>“Am Now!” Nina cheered, looking up towards him. “Play!”</p><p>Sunny circled around as Nina stopped, dropping into a play bow in front of her, though her tail was wagging so hard she seemed to be wiggling her whole body.<br/>
Oscar sighed, and sat down at the top of the bank. </p><p>“That’s Good.” He said, finding a stick nearby, and tossed it down the bank, into the stream. </p><p>Sunny was after it in a flash, picking it up and coming back with it excitedly, she looked between the two of them for a minute, before dropping it in the water by Nina’s feet. </p><p>Nina picked up the stick and threw it, giggling as Sunny splashed away. </p><p>They continued for a little while. </p><p>“Are You Happy Here?” Oscar asked. He had picked the thermos up at some point and was fiddling with the lid.<br/>
Nina threw the stick as far as she could and turned to Oscar.</p><p>“Why?” Nina asked</p><p>“Because,” Oscar stopped, looking off somewhere to the side. “I Will Be Going Away. For A While, Usually A Couple Of Weeks. I Want To Know If You’ll Be Okay.”</p><p>“Go?” Nina tilted her head.</p><p>I’m Utilised… I Have A Job, That I Can’t Do From Here. You’ll Be On Your Own.” Oscar shrugged. He was all huddled up, his knees nearly touching his chest. </p><p>Sunny trotted up with the stick, dropping it at Nina’s feet looking up hopefully. Nina picked it up, and she was going to throw it, but did not, instead, she went and climbed back up the bank, with it in her hand. When she got up to the top, she sat down next to Oscar, with the stick in her hand. </p><p>Sunny looked up at them quizzically.</p><p>“I Thought You Were Playing?” Oscar asked.</p><p>Nina tossed the stick to Sunny, who caught it in the air, bounced happily, and bounded up to her. Nina patted her head, and Sunny turned to Oscar hopefully. </p><p>“Time for rest.” Nina stated, wiping her hands on the grass at her sides. “You keep talking.”</p><p>Oscar stretched out a little, putting the thermos aside. </p><p>“Do You Want Your Sandwich?” He asked.</p><p>“Yes peas.” Nina Nodded. “Why Go?”</p><p>At the mention of a sandwich, Sunny came up close to Oscar, and he snorted and pushed her back. Flipping the water bowl up the right way, he was also quick to take the canteen, and poor water in it, before putting it on the far side of himself from Nina. </p><p>“I Don’t Get A Choice.” Oscar shrugged, pulling off his gloves, and taking a clean handkerchief out of his shirt pocket. “And I Don’t Normally Mind.”</p><p>Sunny rounded him quickly, standing on the flatter ground on top of the bank, at first trying to put her head in the bowl still holding the stick, before realising she had to drop it in order to drink.</p><p>“Oh.” Nina nodded, like she understood. </p><p>“I Feel Bad About Leaving You Here.” Oscar admitted. “Hold Your Hand’s Out?”</p><p>Nina did as she was asked, and Oscar tipped some water on her hand’s, and Nina rubbed her hands together, before being handed the handkerchief. </p><p>“Don’t leave?” Nina asked hopefully, drying her hands as best she could. Her fur tended to hang on to water for as long as it could, like a fluffy sponge.</p><p>“I Don’t Get A Choice.” Oscar repeated, and took up the thermos again, taking the lid off. He poured some of the drink inside into it, and passed it, handle first, over to Nina. </p><p>Nina took it, still holding the handkerchief, and sniffed at the drink. It was sweet and milky tea. </p><p>Oscar was already moving on to the tin, prying it open carefully, and pushing Sunny away when she tired to stick her head in it. He pulled Nina’s sandwich out, putting it on the lid, and then took something out wrapped in butchers paper and put it in his lap, before passing the tin to Sunny, who stuck her head in eagerly, pulling out a spare slice of tongue. </p><p>Nina still did not like the look of tongue, almost grey, peppered with spider webs of fat running through the meat. She never liked it before, everything from the look, to the offal smell, to how it felt in her mouth. </p><p>And she had insisted as such, the whole time Oscar had spent cooking the ugly cut of meat, even as the smell of it made her drool. By the time it was done, Nina tried the tiniest slice, only to find she now loved it. </p><p>She accepted the lid with her sandwich on eagerly, putting it on her legs. It was already cut in half, with the crusts removed.</p><p>“No crusts?” She asked, looking over at Oscar. </p><p>“Sunny Got Them, Along With The End Off The Tongue.” He turned his head to the dog, who was pushing the tin along the ground behind them, trying to get all the food.</p><p>When he turned back, he slowly unwrapped his own food, a soft bread roll that looked squished and soggy, but smelled like meat. </p><p>“What’s that?” Nina asked, craning her neck to get a better look. </p><p>Oscar sighed. “It’s A Beef Dip.” He carefully took it in hand, and tore off a little bit, before holding it out to Nina. </p><p>She took it gently, sniffed it, before eating it. The bread was soaked in gravy, dissolving into mush in her mouth, and the meat was cold, but it was salty, and meaty. Tastes Nina had started appreciating much more. </p><p>“How Does It Taste?” Oscar asked. </p><p>“Beef.” Nina stated. </p><p>Oscar laughed, gently pushing Sunny away when she tried to sniff at his sandwich. He took a big bite of his sandwich.</p><p>“Good?” Nina asked. </p><p>Oscar didn’t speak. </p><p>But he did make a noise. </p><p>A rumbling noise, like a car engine starting, or the motorised lawn mower Nina’s neighbour used to have. But without the smell of oil.<br/>
Nina took a bite of her own sandwich, and tried to copy the noise, but all she managed was a little mrrm noise.</p><p>Sunny circled around, trying to sniff at Nina’s sandwich. Before Nina could put something down to push her away, both their ears perked at the sound of a sharp whistle. </p><p>Sunny quickly turned tail to bound loudly towards it. </p><p>Nina looked to Oscar first, who ignored it, taking a few quick bites of his sandwich. </p><p>She turned around where she sat, careful not to spill her tea. </p><p>A man was picking his way through the long grass, stopping to pet Sunny when she ran up to him. He was rather unremarkable looking, other than his scruffy beard and slightly stooping posture. </p><p>“It’s Just Arlo, You Don’t Have To Watch Him.” Oscar told her with a sigh. </p><p>“Arlo?” Nina questioned. </p><p>“The Vet. It’s Time For Our Check Ups.”</p><p>“But lunch?” Nina turned back to Oscar with alarm, the tea sloshing in her cup.</p><p>Oscar chuckled at that, glancing over at her. </p><p>“He’ll Give Us Time, Probably Just Wanted A Break From The Furnace.” </p><p>“Why?” Nina asked, her ears perking up to listen to Arlo approaching them. </p><p>“It’s Smelly And Hot. The Walls Are Kind Of Greasy.” Oscar said, looking back to the stream, watching the water, while licking the last few smudges of gravy from his fingers.</p><p>“Ew.” Nina stuck her tongue out. </p><p>Oscar smiled again. Turning to look over his shoulder. </p><p>“Leave anything for me?” Arlo called from behind them, Nina recognised his voice from the phone call. </p><p>“Strawberries.” Oscar said, pointing at the bowl. He was kind of quick to block Sunny from sticking her head in the bowl. </p><p>Arlo bent down behind them to pick up the bowl, keeping it out of the dog’s reach. Sunny wined and pawed at his legs.</p><p>“You must have been very busy this morning.” He commented. </p><p>Nina glanced up at him. </p><p>He was smiling and taking a bite out of a big strawberry. He had laugh lines and his eyes wrinkled when he smiled.</p><p>“I like strawbebbies.” Nina mused, nibbling on her sandwich. The bread was soft, butter spread thickly on it, and the serving of tongue generous.</p><p>“Pleased to hear that.” Arlo agreed. </p><p>“Are we getting check ups next?” Oscar asked, picking at the grass beside him. </p><p>“I was going to see Bravo first, see if he’ll let me do any checks.” Arlo shrugged. “There’s nothing to worry about, no blood being taken, I just need heights, weights and teeth.” </p><p>“Teeth?” Nina asked. </p><p>“Sometimes, chimeras have weird teeth.” Arlo explained, though it didn’t explain much at all. He looked down at Nina’s hunched shoulders and wide eyes. “I just need you to bite some wax.”</p><p>“Are you going to be studying Nina like you studied us?” Oscar asked, turning to look up at him too. </p><p>“I’m still studying you, you’re not as grown up as you think.” Arlo pointed out, “But it’s true we needed a bigger sample size to make any conclusions, so yes, Nina is part of the study, for now.” He looked to Nina. “Are you okay with that?” He asked. </p><p>“Wha’s the study?” Nina asked. </p><p>“Well, we don’t really know a lot about how chimeras grow, because we don’t have a lot that do, so I just have to go around and measure everyone, every couple of months, and see what happens.” Arlo explained. “We’ve had some interesting findings.”</p><p>“Your latest finding was just ‘Oscar is Short.’” Oscar snorted at him. </p><p>“There is a difference between Short and Stunted, a Scientifically Significant one.” Arlo put one hand on his hip. “Don’t make me look bad in front of your new guest.” He pouted.</p><p>“Not trying to.” Oscar looked back to the stream with a sigh, once again pulling at the grass. </p><p>Arlo nudged Oscar lightly with his knee. </p><p>“I was just teasing.” He said. </p><p>“I know.” Oscar mumbled. </p><p>‘I don’t get it…’ Nina thought. She started eating the second half her sandwich.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sunny is a Bull Mastiff because i love them, she's also technically a puppy. Just, a big, big puppy. </p><p>and I headcannon Alexander as a Great Pyrenees. I don't know if that is uncommon, or not, but a friend was adamant he is a Golden Retriever.</p><p>Too big, too fluffy.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Handkerchief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The wax came away from Nina’s teeth with a popping feeling. </p><p>She pulled back, wrinkling her nose and licking at her teeth and lips, finding the lack of smell and taste of the wax very strange. “Ew.” She muttered. </p><p>“You did very well, Nina.” Arlo told her as he turned to set the moulds down beside his clipboard, removing his rubber gloves and leaving them inside out, before adding more notes to the piece of paper than he wrote her name on. “That’s the worst of it over with.”</p><p>“Can play now?” Nina asked, trying to peak out the window to see if she could spot Sunny in the garden. The weather was still nice, and she missed having a dog to play with. Not that she didn’t like reading books or drawing, just, it wasn’t the same as getting to play outside with a dog. </p><p>“Not just yet, I still need to weigh and measure you.” Arlo chuckled, picking up his tape measure from the scatter of tools on the table. “You really like Sunny.”<br/>
“Yes!” Nina nodded, “I – Play – Like Dogs!” She tried to explain, huffing in frustration. </p><p>“You grew up with a dog, right?” Arlo asked, and then pointed to the scale beside the table. It was grubby, metal, the same one that lived under the sink in the bathroom. “Do you remember his name?” </p><p>“Al-ux-and-da.” Nina nodded, getting up onto the scale. It squeaked a little under her. </p><p>Arlo glanced at it, scribbled the number down on his clipboard, and then gave Nina a big smile. As he reached past her to the table, she sniffed his arm. He didn’t smell bad, though smoke clung to his clothes, he mostly smelt of dog and an unpleasant, spicy and alcoholic cologne.  </p><p>“That’s good Nina!” </p><p>“Whhy?” Nina asked, carefully stepping down off the scale. </p><p>“If you can just step on the end of the tape a second,” Arlo asked, kneeling to hold the tape to the floor, until Nina managed to put her heel on it. “I’ve been worried that your head was hurt.” He explained, tapping his own head as he stood up. </p><p>“Howw?” Nina asked again, looking up at him. </p><p>“Look forward, I’m just going to touch the top of your head.” Arlo told her, and when Nina moved her head, he touched her head for a moment. “Alright, all done.” He stepped away, winding up his tape. </p><p>“But Howw?” Nina repeated, reaching out and tugging on his rolled-up sleeve. </p><p>Arlo startled, staring at her hand a moment before relaxing again, leaning against the dining table. </p><p>“Do you understand what happened, Nina?” He asked, in a very nice way, all soft. The way grownups talk to little kids when they’ve fallen down and start to cry.<br/>
Nina didn’t like when people treated her as if she was just a little baby. She wasn’t, she was seven, and she was bigger at that moment then she had ever been before, but she knew she couldn’t manage to say all that, not when she could barely explain why she liked dogs. </p><p>“Nina and Alux-an-da,” She started, putting her hands on her chest, frowning hard at the next word, she had heard it a bunch, but hadn’t tried to say it before. “K-K-Eye-Mer-Ra.” </p><p>She glanced up and Arlo nodded. </p><p>“Daddy, Did it.” She finished, firmly. </p><p>Arlo nodded again, covering his mouth with one hand, before it slid down and he rubbed his beard. His thumb lingered on a spot on his chin where his beard split a little.<br/>
“You’re right.” He agreed. “Do you want to know why I was worried about your head?”</p><p>“Uh-huh.” Nina nodded, crossing her arms. Of course she wanted to know, that’s why she asked. </p><p>“Okay,” Arlo began rubbing his beard again. “It’s been a while since I’ve had to explain this, so tell me if I confuse you.” </p><p>“Okey.” </p><p>“A lot of chimeras, in fact, most chimeras, get something we call ‘brain injury’. Unfortunately, when you try and combine two brains, you often end up hurting them both, because brains are actually very squishy. Like jelly.” Arlo began. “Have you ever seen what happens when someone drops a jelly?” </p><p>“Yes.” Nina nodded. “Splat.” She told him. </p><p>“Exactly! So imagine two brain’s went splat, and were scooped up and put back in a head. Now, sometimes, when that happens, the brains, now one brain, get better. At first maybe, the chimera’s balance is very off, or they are acting very strange, or they are having trouble talking.” Arlo then pointed to Nina. </p><p>“Like Nina” Nina nodded, patting her chest. </p><p>“Yes, like you. But the good thing is that it looks like you’re getting better.” He was almost bouncing on his heels telling her, it was easy to see where Sunny got it from. </p><p>“But…” Nina started, wrinkling her nose. “Not good.” </p><p>“I know how you feel right now Nina.” Arlo nodded. “You just need to be patient.”</p><p>Nina didn’t know why it was that of all things that made her angry. </p><p>Or more so, that was what made her anger come out. Because she had been angry for days, or weeks. Maybe years. </p><p>She was angry, because she knew that she knew the words to explain how she felt, but they got lost somewhere between her brain and her mouth. </p><p>She was angry when she was brought to the house, which was dirty and scary and full of people and things that she didn’t know how to feel about. She was angry when she was taken away from home by men in military uniforms. </p><p>She was angry that she couldn’t hug Alexander to feel better. </p><p>She was angry that she had kicked and screamed when she realised what her father was going to do, and no one came to help her. </p><p>She was angry that she had never had any friends her own age, and now she might never get to make any.<br/>
She was angry because when she stood up, her neck and back would hurt, but when she lead down., she couldn’t get comfortable.</p><p>She was angry because she always thought it would be fun to understand what dogs felt.<br/>
She was angry that everyone around her thought she was suddenly stupid.<br/>
She was angry that she was never going to see her mother again.</p><p>She was angry that he thought he knew anything about her; let alone how she felt.</p><p>She growled. </p><p>“No!” Nina stomped her foot and pointed at Arlo. She could feel another growl bubbling up in her and didn’t quite manage to push it back down. As well as her vision started to blur, tears welling up in her eyes.<br/>
“Don’t know!” She put her hands to her neck, tugging on the fur. “Not Good! You Don’t know!”</p><p>“Hey now, let’s not do that.” Arlo told her, reaching out, very slowly and deliberately. </p><p>Nina barked at him. </p><p>She was still aware of the noises in the house and just outside. The rattling of Simon’s cage as it bounced off the walls, Sunny beginning to bark in answer, the back door being closed moments after it was opened. The slamming of one of the basement doors.<br/>
Arlo stopped, holding his hands up. </p><p>“You’re right, I don’t know how you’re feeling.”<br/>
Nina growled, but it didn’t stop the tears from falling, though rather than just rolling down her cheek, they damped the fur on her face. Clinging to her and refusing to fall away. </p><p>Her legs felt shaky under her, her back was aching again, which made her head feel heavy and full of radio static.</p><p>“I get excited when I think I have good news for people, I forget that it might only seem like good news to me.” Arlo admitted.<br/>
He went to take another step towards Nina but stopped when she flinched. Instead, he sat down on the floor. </p><p>It made Nina relax, without something looming over her, the tension in her unravelled all at once. </p><p>The next noise she made was much more like a sob than a growl. </p><p>Nina tried to cover her mouth like she normally did when she cried, but there was so much more mouth to cover, and even with bigger hands, she wasn’t sure how even to muffle the noises she made. </p><p>“You don’t need to hide that you’re crying.” Arlo said, in the same soft way he had asked her if she understood what happened. </p><p>But Nina couldn’t bring herself to get annoyed. </p><p>She was still angry. But all the fight had left her.</p><p>She rubbed her eyes, but all it did was make the fur on her hands wet as well as her face. She gave in to her wobbling legs and plopped down on the floor, still just out of Arlo’s reach.</p><p>The back door opened. </p><p>Nina looked over, watching a suitcase be pushed into the kitchen, before the door quickly closed again. </p><p>“I asked Oscar to get it from the car.” Arlo offered. “I knew you didn’t have any clothes of your own here, so my wife helped me find some that will hopefully fit.”<br/>
Nina sniffled.<br/>
“He’s probably just outside the door, worrying about you.” Arlo sighed. </p><p>Nina rubbed her eyes again.<br/>
“Do you want him to stay out there, or come inside?” </p><p>“I-inn-si-de.” Nina managed. </p><p>Arlo got up slowly, he grunted, and his joints clicked. It only took him a few long strides to cross from the dining room, into the kitchen, nudging the suitcase aside from the door so he could open it. </p><p>Oscar scurried inside, looking wide eyed over at Nina. </p><p>Arlo picked up the suitcase, stopped on the way back to Nina, to reach out, like he had to Nina, and stroke the underside of Oscar’s chin with two fingers. Oscar didn’t flinch or back away, leaning into the touch and closing his eyes.<br/>
Oscar was the first one to come over to Nina, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket and offering it to her. Nina sniffed it, it smelled mostly clean, just the lingering scent of tobacco and menthol from his pockets, so she took it and used it to try and scrub away her tears. The fabric was worn soft, but not very absorbent, so she just ended up smearing her tears across more of her face. </p><p>“Don’t Forget Your Nose.” He told her. </p><p>Nina licked her nose but recoiled at the taste of snot.<br/>
Oscar rolled his eyes and pulled out another handkerchief, offering it, and taking the wet one in exchange. Nina did her best to wipe her nose and chin.<br/>
“Good?” She asked. </p><p>Oscar nodded, taking the handkerchief and offering her one more from his other pocket. It smelled like cough sweets, and Nina found she liked the smell better than the others, so she held it to her nose. </p><p>“How many of those do you have?” Arlo asked as he opened the suitcase. </p><p>“Plenty.” Oscar stated. “I cut up a old sheet. One of them books said children need them.”  </p><p>Arlo smiled, and his eyes crinkled happily. Inside the suitcase, the clothes were mostly different shades of blue or white, with blue stripes or dots or flowers. But in the middle, next to a toiletries bag, and a few lengths of rolled up ribbon, lay a toy rabbit, in a little blue and white dress of its own. Its body looked like it was made if a caramel coloured velvet. It had dark glass eyes, and it’s nose was embroidered on in a pretty pink thread. It’s ears were floppy, the insides lined with a pink satin.<br/>
Nina tilted her head. </p><p>Arlo picked the rabbit up and held it out to her. </p><p>“I know this won’t make up for anything.” He told her. “But I thought, maybe, this bunny might help you feel a little bit better.” </p><p>Nina reached out to take the bunny, scooping it up under it’s stuffed arms. The fabric was soft, but it was stuffed very full, and as she sniffed it, it smelled of a lot of things. Of clean laundry and of Sunny, Arlo’s unpleasant cologne and another, nicer smelling, lady’s perfume. But also, the smell of leather luggage that hadn’t been used in a while. </p><p>She cuddled it, finding it nice to cuddle.<br/>
“Good Bun-ee.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know this chapter isn't great, but i felt like if i didn't finish it now, i wouldn't carry on with this. I am planning to go back and do more edits as i go on, because rereading the chapters for this one... there are a few that need to be done.</p><p>[edit] I had every intention of having a chapter by now, but had sudden news that I am going into hospital for surgery so preparing that is taking up most of my time, will hopefully have the chapter up by pancake day (the 16th of February) because it's thematically appropriate.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>